The actor received his first Oscar nomination when he was selected as one of the top five contenders for the Best Actor category, in recognition of his work in the film 'The Whale'.
The moment Brendan Fraser learned he had been nominated for an Oscar was one he would never forget, thanks to his children. The actor received his first Oscar nomination when he was selected as one of the top five contenders for the Best Actor category, in recognition of his work in the film The Whale. Fraser added in an interview with Extra that his three sons contributed to making the moment even more extraordinary.
Asked what was going through his mind when he heard the news, the 54-year-old shared, "Astonishment and surprise, because my kids surprised me with cake and balloons. They sneaked into the house, they had a plan," he said, talking of his 3 sons Leland, 16, Holden, 18, and Griffin, 20, adding, "That and the feeling that sharing that moment with my loved ones is now a core memory of mine."
Fraser expressed his excitement and gratitude to the Academy for this honor in a statement shared with PEOPLE, saying he is "absolutely overjoyed and deeply grateful to The Academy for this recognition and for recognizing Hong Chau's beautiful performance and Adrien Morot's incredible makeup."
"I wouldn't have this nomination without [director] Darren Aronofsky, [writer] Samuel D. Hunter, A24, and the extraordinary cast and crew who gave me the gift of Charlie," the actor continued. "A gift I certainly didn't see coming, but it has profoundly changed my life. THANK YOU!"
The actor expressed how much he loved the role he did for The Whale in the interview with Extra, saying, “I think it’s a fulfillment of an aspiration that I would have never even thought to dare to have allowed, let alone to myself until I came into my 50s and I looked at my life, who I am, what I know about love from my kids and it gives it a context now,” he said. “I love my job — it is the best one in the world, it also has proven to be something that I can do to help reach others in a way that’s meaningful that has gratitude, that has taught me some humility, that’s why.”
How #TheWhale star Brendan Fraser's kids surprised him to celebrate his Oscar nomination! 🥰 https://t.co/NfXmAU9DWX pic.twitter.com/UMRCJSKrqA
— ExtraTV (@extratv) January 30, 2023
Fraser and his ex-wife Afton Smith divorced in December 2007, although they have remained co-parents of their three kids. Fraser said in a 2018 GQ interview that his kids come to visit him "all the time." Although Fraser doesn't talk much about his children, he has occasionally discussed them in interviews. Most recently, his kids Holden and Leland joined Fraser for a screening of his movie The Whale. Before the screening, the actor posed for pictures with his sons, along with his girlfriend Jeanne Moore.
Also nominated in the category that Fraser has been nominated for are Austin Butler (Elvis), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Paul Mescal (Aftersun), and Bill Nighy (Living).
Welcome to the Brennaissance 🏆
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) January 24, 2023
Celebrating the #TIFFTribute Award honouree Brendan Fraser on his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. #OscarNoms pic.twitter.com/H7aMPfL3Ge
References:
https://people.com/parents/brendan-fraser-kids-surprised-him-after-oscar-nomination/
https://people.com/movies/brendan-fraser-oscar-nomination-changed-my-life/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Matt Winkelmeyer
